1. Field of the Invention
This invention belongs to the technical field of a one-way clutch incorporated, for example, between the drive shaft and the driven shaft, of an automobile, an ordinary industrial machine, or the like, for transmitting power to the driven shaft only when the drive shaft rotates in a predetermined direction.
2. Related Background Art
A one-way clutch according to the prior art, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 of the accompanying drawings, is usually provided with a sprag 23 biting between an outer race 21 and an inner race 22, an annular wire cage 24 holding this sprag 23, a ring-like spring 26 engaged with a spring engagement groove 25 formed in the sprag 23 and holding the sprag 23 between itself and the wire cage 24, and two ring-like side plates 27 and 28 holding the sprag 23 therebetween on the axial opposite sides thereof.
The wire cage 24 is formed with a wire bent so that opening portions may alternately face axial opposite sides of the outer race 21 and the inner race 22. A plurality of projected pieces 29 are inwardly projectedly provided on the inner peripheries of the side plates 27 and 28. These projected pieces 29 are engaged with wire cage 24, whereby the side plates 27 and 28 are incorporated into the wire cage 24.
A plurality of radially protruding resilient projected pieces 17, 18 are formed on the outer periphery of the side plate 27. When these resilient projected pieces 17, 18 are inserted into a groove 19 formed in the side of the outer race coaxially with the outer race, the wire cage 24 is positioned relative to the outer race 21 by the resilient forces of the bent resilient projected pieces 17, 18.
The sprag 23 is inserted from the outside into the wire cage 24 into which the side plate 27 is incorporated in advance, whereafter the spring 26 is mounted from the outside of the sprag 23, whereby the sprag 23 is prevented from coming off the wire cage 24 and is mounted on the wire cage 24.
However, such a one-way clutch 20 suffers from the following problems:
(1) The one-way clutch is comprised of an inner race, an outer race, a plurality of sprags 23, a wire cage 24 and a spring 26 and therefore, the number of parts is great. PA1 (2) When the sprags 23 are to be mounted on the wire cage 24, the spring 26 is brought into engagement with each spring engagement groove 25 from the outside of each sprag 23 and therefore, the assembly requires much time and labor.